When we first hear about Chizkiyahu we see that he bought a religious revival. He believed that G-d is the source of everything. At this time of his ruling Chizkiyahu was known for his faith and trust in Hashem. He got rid of the alliance with Ashur which all the kings before him refused to do. He also removed the Bamot and all the sources of Avodah Zara or not worshiping Hashem properly. Everything he had done so far was correct and he had done the correct actions of an ideal leader and possibly Mashiach.
Then in the middle of Chizkiyahu's ruling, he begins to change. He stopped involving Hashem in his actions. Chizkayahu made an alliance with Egypt, fortified the city, and re-routed the water. He did all these things without the involvement of Hashem. Chizkiyahu also had another issue. Even with the destruction we hear anything about Chizkiyahu turning to Hashem. In the middle of Chizkiyahu's ruling he lost his title of an ideal king.
In Chizkiyahu's 14th year everything went wrong. There is a siege of Yerushalaim and Ravshakeh comes to the people and speak to him and try to convince them that all Chizkiyahu has done is wrong. When Ravshakeh comes Chizkiyahu goes to Yishayahu and asks him to pray on his and the nation's behalf. We see with Chizkiyahu that he only seeks out the help of Hashem when there is no alternative, but not only that, he seeks out Hashem when it's on a more personal level.
Chizkiyahu gets sick and Yishayahu comes to him and tells him that he is going to die. Chizkiyahu then prays to Hashem and Hashem adds extra years to his life. Hashem saves Yirushalaim yet there is no recognition that it was Hashem's doing. Chizkiyahu gets haughty and he shows Bavel all of his treasures that he got in his wars with Ashur-He gives no recognition to Hashem saying that He helped him win these wars-which is also another reason why he cannot be Mashiach-it is said that the leader that will become Mashiach will help other nations recognize the presence of Hashem.
I think the timing of learning this was good. We just had thanksgiving a day where we all come together and say what we are thankful for. This holiday doesn't really accomplish anything. We go around the table and everyone says what they are thankful for. Sure, it gets you to start thinking about what you are thankful for, but most people just say a generic answer-family, house, friends. These are more personal things in life, but really are you actually truly thankful for these things when you say it at your thanksgiving table? Truthfully I'm not sitting there thinking wow I am really thankful, and if you are it is probably only because you are thinking about it at that moment. Also are you thinking that it is Hashem who gave you all of this? When it comes to Hashem, there is so much we have to be thankful for. It is not just something you can sum up into two sentences one day each year. Saying thank you to Hashem is something that you should be doing every single day-to take time out of your day and to sit there and to thank Hashem for all that He gave you.
When Chezkiyahu took time and thanked Hashem everything turned out fine for him. Hashem added years to his life simply because he took time and acknowledged Hashem's presence. It is not enough to say thank you through another person. When Chizkiyahu asked Yishayahu to pray to Hashem for him that wasn't enough. Also when you are just turning to Hashem because it is something personal and that is the only time you acknowledge his presence, that is also not enough. You need to realize that Hashem is the one there helping you get through everything and providing you with all your needs and simple "thank you" and an acknowledgement of his presence makes everything better.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Power Corrupts Leaders
This week in Navi we continued learning about Chizkiyahu's reign. We learned about the things he was praised for and things he was reproached for. He got rid of the גנז ספר רפואות, which was a book of incantations that the people believed in instead of putting their faith in Hashem. He also cut down the כתת נחש הנחשת, which was a copper snake that the people looked to for medical healing. He dragged his father's body through the city and did not give him a proper burial because his father worshiped idols. He took away idol worship from the people, thereby establishing Hashem as the source of everything. He showed that it is not just that Hashem is in control of religious life, they should put their faith in Hashem for EVERYTHING.
He was reproached for three things: 1. He closed off the גיחון river, which prevented Assyria from getting access to the water, however it showed that he did not have faith in Hashem to protect them. 2. He cut off the doors of the Beit Hamikdash and sent them to Assyria which showed that Chizkiyahu would submit to Assyria to stop an attack instead of relying on Hashem even when Yishayahu already told him that Hashem would save him. And 3. He added a leap year in ניסן, albeit for good intentions (he wanted to cause a religious revival), but he didn't do it in the right way.
We saw that only when Chizkiyahu was gravely ill and his own life was at stake did he turn to Hashem for help. However even when he is saved, he shows no recognition to Hashem and shows Babylonia every single treasure, as if to say "Oh look at me! I'm so amazing!". All of these actions come together to prove a point addressed during every reign of every king- that power corrupts leaders. Chizkiyah's famous faith in Hashem slowly faded into faith in himself. He doesn't consult with Hashem while he makes alliances and fortifies the city.
The Pasukim tell us that after the punishment and the destruction of the people there will be a return to Yerushalaim and a rebuilding process- נחמה. This could be a sign of Yishayahu giving up. He realizes he will never have the chance to change the people, so he just accepts the fact that they will be punished and no longer interferes. The Pasukim then go on to describe further what it will be like after the punishment is over. Everyone will return to Hashem and He will forgive everyone for their sins. They will return to land from exile and the Beit Hamikdash will be rebuilt.
This doesn't make any sense to me. The people did all of those horrible sins so they'll be punished and then...forgiven? It doesn't make any sense that after everything they had to go through, they would just be forgiven at the end anyway. Maybe it's because it was the 1/10 remnant and they were the people who didn't sin? Either way, I still don't see how this makes any sense.
He was reproached for three things: 1. He closed off the גיחון river, which prevented Assyria from getting access to the water, however it showed that he did not have faith in Hashem to protect them. 2. He cut off the doors of the Beit Hamikdash and sent them to Assyria which showed that Chizkiyahu would submit to Assyria to stop an attack instead of relying on Hashem even when Yishayahu already told him that Hashem would save him. And 3. He added a leap year in ניסן, albeit for good intentions (he wanted to cause a religious revival), but he didn't do it in the right way.
We saw that only when Chizkiyahu was gravely ill and his own life was at stake did he turn to Hashem for help. However even when he is saved, he shows no recognition to Hashem and shows Babylonia every single treasure, as if to say "Oh look at me! I'm so amazing!". All of these actions come together to prove a point addressed during every reign of every king- that power corrupts leaders. Chizkiyah's famous faith in Hashem slowly faded into faith in himself. He doesn't consult with Hashem while he makes alliances and fortifies the city.
The Pasukim tell us that after the punishment and the destruction of the people there will be a return to Yerushalaim and a rebuilding process- נחמה. This could be a sign of Yishayahu giving up. He realizes he will never have the chance to change the people, so he just accepts the fact that they will be punished and no longer interferes. The Pasukim then go on to describe further what it will be like after the punishment is over. Everyone will return to Hashem and He will forgive everyone for their sins. They will return to land from exile and the Beit Hamikdash will be rebuilt.
This doesn't make any sense to me. The people did all of those horrible sins so they'll be punished and then...forgiven? It doesn't make any sense that after everything they had to go through, they would just be forgiven at the end anyway. Maybe it's because it was the 1/10 remnant and they were the people who didn't sin? Either way, I still don't see how this makes any sense.
Salvation or Thanks?
One point that we always have standing in class is the concept of personal salvation vs. national salvation, and which one the king at the time was doing, if any. In my last blog post I highlighted the high and the low points of חזקיהו's reign and how his reign went downhill, per say, in the 14th year. In this blog post I am going to tell you why חזקיהו was more focused on personal salvation, rather than national salvation. We just had to look harder and deeper into the text and events to understand which one it was.
As we know everything was going very well in חזקיהו's reign up until his 14th year. Before that, חזקיהו did a whole bunch of things to lead the nation to salvation. After he had sinned in his 14th year, he went to ישעיהו to ask him to pray for him, but ישעיהו refused, and חזקיהו eventually prays to Hashem. In the beginning of פרק ל"ח we learn that חזקיהו is critically ill, and is about to die. Only then does he pray to Hashem. I think I am seeing a little bit of personal salvation here, because when it came to life or death, חזקיהו decided to pray. חזקיהו got 15 years added onto his life and got saved from the hands of Assyria.
When Jerusalem was put under siege, חזקיהו took it well, and had control over everything. When the salvation of Jerusalem happened is another example of how חזקיהו was extremely self-absorbed. He didn't thank Hashem for removing his capital from the siege. That is the moment when we learn that he was really all about himself. חזקיהו only prayed to G-d when there was no other alternative. When חזקיהו shows Babylonia all of his treasure, that could have been a perfect time to recognize Hashem, because he helped him get all those treasures. From all of this we see why his 14th year took him down hill, he stopped recognizing Hashem.
I guess we could say it isn't as much personal or national salvation rather than thanking G-d. חזקיהו really just stopped thanking Him at a point during his reign. I don't know if it is because he got haughty or if it was for some other reason, but it ruined his whole reign, in my opinion. With thanksgiving in our rearview mirror, we always have to recognize when G-d is giving us everyday.
Helping Others
In this week's Navi class, we heavily discussed Chiykiyahu's characteristics as a leader and as a person.
We know from Yeshayahu Perakim 36-37 that Chiykiyahu stopped an alliance with Ashur, conquered lands around him, forged an alliance with Egypt, and fortified his city. This is from a political/military standpoint. Religiously, he instituted a revival, and the people returned to the Beit Hamikdash. All of these actions seem to form a practically indestructible kingdom, despite the reaction of Ashur. However, when he was mocked by Ravshakeh, he sent messengers (not even himself!) to Yeshayhu to pray for him. On a side note, this is quite the cowardly action. Yeshayahu does pray for Chiykiyahu, and Ashur is defeated. However, he gives absolutely no recognition or thanks to Hashem. How can he completely ignore the fact that Hashem is the source of everything, that Hashem is the true puppeteer?
In Perek 38, Chiykiyahu becomes critically ill. Yeshayahu approaches him, informing Chiykiyahu that his death is near. You'll never guess what happends next...Chiykiyahu davens to Hashem! Wow, we didn't see this one coming! Hashem listens to Chiykiyahu and grants him 15 more years of life and promises that Yehudah will be saved. Then, Chiykiyahu praises and acknowledges Hashem. This indicates an issue. How can you have a king who only davens for himself? More so, what kind of message is Chiykiyahu trying to convey in the midst of this spiritual revival? Is it only necessary to thank Hashem when your own personal salvation occurs?
Yeshayahu then warns Chiyzkiyahu that, one day, Bavel will come and attack Yehudah. What is Chiykiyahu's response? He replies that the word of Hashem is good because it will not occur in his days. This is not how a king should respond! He must realize that an aspect of his kingdom is not moral and attempt to improve it!
We then studied two different texts to discover more about Chiykiyahu's character. Brachot Yud states that Chiykiyahu is praised for three things and criticized for another three. The three actions of praise are as follows: 1) He "put into storage" (didn't use anymore) the Sefer Refuot. He did this because instead of the people putting their faith in Hashem, they believed this book of cantations saved them. 2) He cut down the Nachash Nechoshet. This was done because the people looked to this copper snake for medical healing, and it became a form of Avodah Zarah. 3) He dragged his father's body through the city and didn't give him a proper burial, due to his father being an idol worshipper. These actions seem to have occurred during the first fourteen years of his reign. The three things he is not praised for are: 1) He closed the Gichon River to prevent Ashur from receiving access to water, thus not putting his faith in Hashem. 2) He cut off the doors to the Beit Hamikdash and sent them to Ashur. This was a submission to Ashur. Yeshayahu had already told him that Hashem would save the people. Why did he do it anyway, though? 3) He added a leap year in Nisan, during the Pesach festivities. Maybe he had good intentions. However, he didn't do it in the correct way. Perhaps he felt that he was above the law.
Sanhedrin 94, the second source we studied, proclaims that Chiykiyahu had the potential to be the Mashiach, for at the beginning of his reign, he seemed somewhat perfect. However, power corrupts, and his bitachon in Hashem slowly became bitachon in himself.
Chiykiyahu's response to Yeshayhu's warning was what really appalled me. It was not only the people who were lacking morals and respect towards one another, the king was too! The entire kingdom was lacking the phrase "Kol Yisrael Arevim Ze Lazeh. All of Israel is responsible for one another!"
This just further demonstrates the justification of why the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed. Even the kings, who were supposed to be role models, were completely indifferent to the future suffering of the people. This is not how you establish an enduring kingdom. Yet time and time again, the people did not realize this.
Many times, we are told to not be involved with matters that don't concern us. However, we should do everything in our power to ensure that these matters will not occur again. Chiyzkiyahu witnessed a besiegement once. The least he could have done was show a little sympathy and warn the next ruler-to be.
Today, we have significantly overcome this lacking of "Kol Yisrael Arevim Ze Lazeh." There are many examples in current events that exemplify this. After Hurricane Sandy, Jews banded together to aid those who had absolutely nothing. They organized clothing drives, conducted school in people's homes, and provided food.
Just last week, during the terrible attacks by Hamas, we, as a nation, prayed and said Tehillim for the welfare of our brothers and sisters in Israel.
Responsibility is one of the values stressed in our school's new initiative, IKARR. As a school, we are accountable for one another. This is a major moral that is instilled in us. It is very easy to just care about ourselves, live in our own little bubble, much like Chiykiyahu. This requires no effort.
However, feeling helping one another should not be strenuous task. It should be something that occurs naturally. It is definitely a reflective point that really sticks out in our minds throughout the time of Thanksgiving. I really feel that it is so crucial to care for others to prevent the same mistakes of the past, and pave a new future.
We know from Yeshayahu Perakim 36-37 that Chiykiyahu stopped an alliance with Ashur, conquered lands around him, forged an alliance with Egypt, and fortified his city. This is from a political/military standpoint. Religiously, he instituted a revival, and the people returned to the Beit Hamikdash. All of these actions seem to form a practically indestructible kingdom, despite the reaction of Ashur. However, when he was mocked by Ravshakeh, he sent messengers (not even himself!) to Yeshayhu to pray for him. On a side note, this is quite the cowardly action. Yeshayahu does pray for Chiykiyahu, and Ashur is defeated. However, he gives absolutely no recognition or thanks to Hashem. How can he completely ignore the fact that Hashem is the source of everything, that Hashem is the true puppeteer?
In Perek 38, Chiykiyahu becomes critically ill. Yeshayahu approaches him, informing Chiykiyahu that his death is near. You'll never guess what happends next...Chiykiyahu davens to Hashem! Wow, we didn't see this one coming! Hashem listens to Chiykiyahu and grants him 15 more years of life and promises that Yehudah will be saved. Then, Chiykiyahu praises and acknowledges Hashem. This indicates an issue. How can you have a king who only davens for himself? More so, what kind of message is Chiykiyahu trying to convey in the midst of this spiritual revival? Is it only necessary to thank Hashem when your own personal salvation occurs?
Yeshayahu then warns Chiyzkiyahu that, one day, Bavel will come and attack Yehudah. What is Chiykiyahu's response? He replies that the word of Hashem is good because it will not occur in his days. This is not how a king should respond! He must realize that an aspect of his kingdom is not moral and attempt to improve it!
We then studied two different texts to discover more about Chiykiyahu's character. Brachot Yud states that Chiykiyahu is praised for three things and criticized for another three. The three actions of praise are as follows: 1) He "put into storage" (didn't use anymore) the Sefer Refuot. He did this because instead of the people putting their faith in Hashem, they believed this book of cantations saved them. 2) He cut down the Nachash Nechoshet. This was done because the people looked to this copper snake for medical healing, and it became a form of Avodah Zarah. 3) He dragged his father's body through the city and didn't give him a proper burial, due to his father being an idol worshipper. These actions seem to have occurred during the first fourteen years of his reign. The three things he is not praised for are: 1) He closed the Gichon River to prevent Ashur from receiving access to water, thus not putting his faith in Hashem. 2) He cut off the doors to the Beit Hamikdash and sent them to Ashur. This was a submission to Ashur. Yeshayahu had already told him that Hashem would save the people. Why did he do it anyway, though? 3) He added a leap year in Nisan, during the Pesach festivities. Maybe he had good intentions. However, he didn't do it in the correct way. Perhaps he felt that he was above the law.
Sanhedrin 94, the second source we studied, proclaims that Chiykiyahu had the potential to be the Mashiach, for at the beginning of his reign, he seemed somewhat perfect. However, power corrupts, and his bitachon in Hashem slowly became bitachon in himself.
Chiykiyahu's response to Yeshayhu's warning was what really appalled me. It was not only the people who were lacking morals and respect towards one another, the king was too! The entire kingdom was lacking the phrase "Kol Yisrael Arevim Ze Lazeh. All of Israel is responsible for one another!"
This just further demonstrates the justification of why the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed. Even the kings, who were supposed to be role models, were completely indifferent to the future suffering of the people. This is not how you establish an enduring kingdom. Yet time and time again, the people did not realize this.
Many times, we are told to not be involved with matters that don't concern us. However, we should do everything in our power to ensure that these matters will not occur again. Chiyzkiyahu witnessed a besiegement once. The least he could have done was show a little sympathy and warn the next ruler-to be.
Today, we have significantly overcome this lacking of "Kol Yisrael Arevim Ze Lazeh." There are many examples in current events that exemplify this. After Hurricane Sandy, Jews banded together to aid those who had absolutely nothing. They organized clothing drives, conducted school in people's homes, and provided food.
Just last week, during the terrible attacks by Hamas, we, as a nation, prayed and said Tehillim for the welfare of our brothers and sisters in Israel.
Responsibility is one of the values stressed in our school's new initiative, IKARR. As a school, we are accountable for one another. This is a major moral that is instilled in us. It is very easy to just care about ourselves, live in our own little bubble, much like Chiykiyahu. This requires no effort.
However, feeling helping one another should not be strenuous task. It should be something that occurs naturally. It is definitely a reflective point that really sticks out in our minds throughout the time of Thanksgiving. I really feel that it is so crucial to care for others to prevent the same mistakes of the past, and pave a new future.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Thanksgiving
This week, I would like to discuss the parallels between our Thanksgiving holiday (yesterday) and the time of Chizkiyahu. When we first started learning about Chizkiyahu, we saw in the pesukim that he was described as being as good as David, the best king of all. In that case, he must have been a great guy and must have led his people to be equally as great. We hear about him and his deeds in three different places: Malachim 2, Divrei Hayamim, and Yishayahu.
Here is a quick summary of Chizkiyahu's life and deeds. Chizkiyahu was the king of Yehuda during the exile of Shomron. When he became king, the people were sinning inter-personally but were "thriving" religiously. Chizkiyahu caused a religious revival among them and even invited the people of Shomron to join them. He refurbished the Beit Hamikdash and removed the Bamot. He acted purely in the service of Hashem. In that case, what could go wrong? One word: gratitude. This issue seemed to be Bnei Yisrael's main problem. Because the people didn't realize that their success came from G-d and not from their actions, they were not grateful, even after G-d saved them.
One part of Chizkiyahu's life was particularly appalling to me. In Perek 38, Chizkiyahu falls fatally ill. (We said in class that this perek could have taken place in the middle of Perek 37, which would then cause Chizkiyahu to make a rash decision about dealing with Ashur.) Yishayahu comes to Chizkiyahu and tells him that he will die soon. At that moment, when he was stuck against the wall, Chizkiyahu finally decided that it was time to pray to G-d himself. In the previous perek, Chizkiyahu had sent messengers to Yishayahu to ask him to pray on behalf of Yehuda. Chizkiyahu could have prayed himself. Now, when he's about to die, praying seems like the only thing to do. Selfish much? Anyway, G-d does save him; He adds 15 years to Chizkiyahu's life for his prayer. Hashem also saved Yehuda from Ashur. However, G-d did say that Yehuda would eventually be destroyed by Babylonia. To this, Chizkiyahu didn't react because it would not affect him; he would be long dead when the destruction finally comes. In addition, Chizkiyahu's people completely forgot to thank G-d for saving them from utter destruction. What is going on here?
As we have been learning for what seems like forever, Bnei Yisrael at this time was morally corrupt. They fulfilled the mitzvot between man and G-d but completely neglected the people around them. They also failed to recognize that all of their political and military success and failures come from G-d. By extension, they were completely ungrateful for everything G-d did for them. This is quite an ironic topic to be learning around Thanksgiving, a holiday completely dedicated to giving thanks. Yesterday, I spent my morning with other volunteers from our school scooping food onto plates for the homeless. Before we started serving the meal, a preacher got on the stage in the room and said a prayer. Of course, this prayer was weird for me to listen to and accept because I am not Christian. However, one part of the prayer stood out for me: the preacher kept repeating that G-d and Jesus have provided everything for them and that they are eternally grateful. Once again, I don't believe in everything she said, but I believe that these preachings are on the right track towards a full recognition of G-d's control over the world. In addition, the sheer concept of providing for the downtrodden in society is the polar opposite of Bnei Yisrael's lack of Tzedek U'Mishpat during the time of Yishayahu. I just hope that these principles catch on so that we, the inhabitants of Planet Earth, can achieve the ideal world of Mashiach soon.
The whole concept of a Thanksgiving holiday is revolutionary. Today, many countries around the world have embraced the idea of a national day of gratitude. Each country has its own flavor of gratitude to offer. The flavor in the Mid-South is religious gratitude. In the center of the "Bible Belt," everyone believes in something. Christians have a particularly strong notion of gratitude to G-d or Jesus (I'm not exactly sure). Jews also have a strong sense of gratitude to G-d. If only this could be spread around. I can propose a plausible solution: find a cause to help. One thing that helps people understand how much G-d has given them is seeing people less fortunate than themselves. Helping people is not only the execution of interpersonal mitzvot but also the mental awakening that helps people understand that G-d is in control of their lives.
On a final note, if anyone did not attend the Thanksgiving volunteering, I would strongly recommend it for next year. The experience is unparalleled and thoroughly enjoyable. I hope everyone has a fun holiday weekend!
Here is a quick summary of Chizkiyahu's life and deeds. Chizkiyahu was the king of Yehuda during the exile of Shomron. When he became king, the people were sinning inter-personally but were "thriving" religiously. Chizkiyahu caused a religious revival among them and even invited the people of Shomron to join them. He refurbished the Beit Hamikdash and removed the Bamot. He acted purely in the service of Hashem. In that case, what could go wrong? One word: gratitude. This issue seemed to be Bnei Yisrael's main problem. Because the people didn't realize that their success came from G-d and not from their actions, they were not grateful, even after G-d saved them.
One part of Chizkiyahu's life was particularly appalling to me. In Perek 38, Chizkiyahu falls fatally ill. (We said in class that this perek could have taken place in the middle of Perek 37, which would then cause Chizkiyahu to make a rash decision about dealing with Ashur.) Yishayahu comes to Chizkiyahu and tells him that he will die soon. At that moment, when he was stuck against the wall, Chizkiyahu finally decided that it was time to pray to G-d himself. In the previous perek, Chizkiyahu had sent messengers to Yishayahu to ask him to pray on behalf of Yehuda. Chizkiyahu could have prayed himself. Now, when he's about to die, praying seems like the only thing to do. Selfish much? Anyway, G-d does save him; He adds 15 years to Chizkiyahu's life for his prayer. Hashem also saved Yehuda from Ashur. However, G-d did say that Yehuda would eventually be destroyed by Babylonia. To this, Chizkiyahu didn't react because it would not affect him; he would be long dead when the destruction finally comes. In addition, Chizkiyahu's people completely forgot to thank G-d for saving them from utter destruction. What is going on here?
As we have been learning for what seems like forever, Bnei Yisrael at this time was morally corrupt. They fulfilled the mitzvot between man and G-d but completely neglected the people around them. They also failed to recognize that all of their political and military success and failures come from G-d. By extension, they were completely ungrateful for everything G-d did for them. This is quite an ironic topic to be learning around Thanksgiving, a holiday completely dedicated to giving thanks. Yesterday, I spent my morning with other volunteers from our school scooping food onto plates for the homeless. Before we started serving the meal, a preacher got on the stage in the room and said a prayer. Of course, this prayer was weird for me to listen to and accept because I am not Christian. However, one part of the prayer stood out for me: the preacher kept repeating that G-d and Jesus have provided everything for them and that they are eternally grateful. Once again, I don't believe in everything she said, but I believe that these preachings are on the right track towards a full recognition of G-d's control over the world. In addition, the sheer concept of providing for the downtrodden in society is the polar opposite of Bnei Yisrael's lack of Tzedek U'Mishpat during the time of Yishayahu. I just hope that these principles catch on so that we, the inhabitants of Planet Earth, can achieve the ideal world of Mashiach soon.
The whole concept of a Thanksgiving holiday is revolutionary. Today, many countries around the world have embraced the idea of a national day of gratitude. Each country has its own flavor of gratitude to offer. The flavor in the Mid-South is religious gratitude. In the center of the "Bible Belt," everyone believes in something. Christians have a particularly strong notion of gratitude to G-d or Jesus (I'm not exactly sure). Jews also have a strong sense of gratitude to G-d. If only this could be spread around. I can propose a plausible solution: find a cause to help. One thing that helps people understand how much G-d has given them is seeing people less fortunate than themselves. Helping people is not only the execution of interpersonal mitzvot but also the mental awakening that helps people understand that G-d is in control of their lives.
On a final note, if anyone did not attend the Thanksgiving volunteering, I would strongly recommend it for next year. The experience is unparalleled and thoroughly enjoyable. I hope everyone has a fun holiday weekend!
Friday, November 16, 2012
A Perfect World
This week we didn't really have a chance to have class. Instead, we did some research on Mashiach. I think this a very interesting topic because of how many views and opinions and ideas there are concerning this mysterious time. I call it mysterious because no matter how great the Rabbi or how seemingly correct the logical the ideas might sound, we will never truly know what/who the Mashiach will be until he comes. Machiach is one of those things that only G-d holds the answers to. We can only hope that through our actions and beliefs, we can hasten the arrival. Especially right now considering the situation in Israel, we can only strive to work harder to bring the Mashiach as soon as possible.
We learned that the Mashiach will come from the descendants of Dovid HaMelech. He will be the greatest leader we have had yet, both in spirituality and politically. He will influence the people to follow G-d and his Mitzvot. He will cause the Jews to unite in Israel, as well as the exiled ones. He will also cause all the nations in the world to believe in G-d and realize that their previous beliefs were false. There will be world peace and wisdom and knowledge of G-d will be widespread. Kingship will be restored and the king will be even more famous and wiser than King Shlomo.
The people will be closer to G-d and will understand the difference between right and wrong. Free will be be transformed into a natural desire to do good. The Yetzer HaRa will be weakened and no one will have any desire to sin. All of this will cause all the Jews to merit Olam HaBa. The Messianic era is a bridge between the world and the world to come.
What this all means is that what most of the commentators and philosophers agree on is that the Messianic era will be a time of complete and utter perfection. There will be no more sin. Everyone will recognize G-d and there will be no obstacles or anything in the way to serving Him. The Beit Hamikdash will be rebuilt by the Mashiach and the nations that despise the Jews will be destroyed. The righteous and basically everyone, will be resurrected (how it's possible that we will all fit on this earth is another question). One idea I found fascinating was the idea that during this era the Jews will be moving up in ranks. There will incredible spiritual growth, no desire to do wrong, complete and widespread recognition and belief in G-d, and all will merit the world to come. We will continue to move up from the lowly, sin-inclined people we are today to the perfect, spiritual, moral beings G-d hoped to create from the beginning. This new generation of perfect beings along with the perfect world will bring the world to its final stage which Adam was meant to reach but could not due to the introduction of sin. This is the type of world G-d had always planned on. From the beginning, we learned last year that G-d had expected man to be moral and follow Him at all costs. Unfortunately, this did not work out as planned. There was the Dor HaMabul and the Dor HaFlagah and eventually He was forced to write out the Sheva Mitzvot Bnei Noach will spell out the moral code which He expects us to follow.
This idea of a perfect world is mesmerizing. A world in which there is only peace and no war is all we could ever hope for. In this world the Jews are not hated nor as they discriminated against or accused of having false beliefs. All the nations will finally see the truth and recognize G-d as the true leader and creator of our world. Earlier today a rocket hit right outside of Jerusalem. Yesterday the sirens were going off in Tel Aviv. We do not live in a safe or peaceful world right now which makes the idea of the arrival of Mashiach even more appealing. Today we have to pray for our people and our land. We have to hope that G-d will help us survive this war. Today we have to sit helplessly thousands of miles away as our brothers and sisters fear for their lives in our homeland. Hopefully tomorrow we will all live together in peace in Israel. Hopefully we can serve G-d and reach this perfect stage in life. We are not completely helpless. We can continue following the Mitzvot and treating each other correctly and hope that our actions will bring the Mashiach as soon as possible because right now we need all the help we can get.
We learned that the Mashiach will come from the descendants of Dovid HaMelech. He will be the greatest leader we have had yet, both in spirituality and politically. He will influence the people to follow G-d and his Mitzvot. He will cause the Jews to unite in Israel, as well as the exiled ones. He will also cause all the nations in the world to believe in G-d and realize that their previous beliefs were false. There will be world peace and wisdom and knowledge of G-d will be widespread. Kingship will be restored and the king will be even more famous and wiser than King Shlomo.
The people will be closer to G-d and will understand the difference between right and wrong. Free will be be transformed into a natural desire to do good. The Yetzer HaRa will be weakened and no one will have any desire to sin. All of this will cause all the Jews to merit Olam HaBa. The Messianic era is a bridge between the world and the world to come.
What this all means is that what most of the commentators and philosophers agree on is that the Messianic era will be a time of complete and utter perfection. There will be no more sin. Everyone will recognize G-d and there will be no obstacles or anything in the way to serving Him. The Beit Hamikdash will be rebuilt by the Mashiach and the nations that despise the Jews will be destroyed. The righteous and basically everyone, will be resurrected (how it's possible that we will all fit on this earth is another question). One idea I found fascinating was the idea that during this era the Jews will be moving up in ranks. There will incredible spiritual growth, no desire to do wrong, complete and widespread recognition and belief in G-d, and all will merit the world to come. We will continue to move up from the lowly, sin-inclined people we are today to the perfect, spiritual, moral beings G-d hoped to create from the beginning. This new generation of perfect beings along with the perfect world will bring the world to its final stage which Adam was meant to reach but could not due to the introduction of sin. This is the type of world G-d had always planned on. From the beginning, we learned last year that G-d had expected man to be moral and follow Him at all costs. Unfortunately, this did not work out as planned. There was the Dor HaMabul and the Dor HaFlagah and eventually He was forced to write out the Sheva Mitzvot Bnei Noach will spell out the moral code which He expects us to follow.
This idea of a perfect world is mesmerizing. A world in which there is only peace and no war is all we could ever hope for. In this world the Jews are not hated nor as they discriminated against or accused of having false beliefs. All the nations will finally see the truth and recognize G-d as the true leader and creator of our world. Earlier today a rocket hit right outside of Jerusalem. Yesterday the sirens were going off in Tel Aviv. We do not live in a safe or peaceful world right now which makes the idea of the arrival of Mashiach even more appealing. Today we have to pray for our people and our land. We have to hope that G-d will help us survive this war. Today we have to sit helplessly thousands of miles away as our brothers and sisters fear for their lives in our homeland. Hopefully tomorrow we will all live together in peace in Israel. Hopefully we can serve G-d and reach this perfect stage in life. We are not completely helpless. We can continue following the Mitzvot and treating each other correctly and hope that our actions will bring the Mashiach as soon as possible because right now we need all the help we can get.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Nation's Actions Over Leader
After a long list of bad kings, we finally have a decent king. We are introduced to Chezkiahu saying: he became king over Yehuda in the 30th rule of Hoshea. He was 25 when he became king. He ruled for 29 years. Finally in his introduction we are told that his mther was Avi Bat Zechora. This is a completely normal introduction for a king.
Then it goes on and it tells us his actions. He did good in the eyes of Hashem. This is something new from the past kings. Then it goes to say that he did so good-he removed the Bamot, Mitzevot, Ashirot, and copper serpent-all the things that Bnei Yisrael used to worship other gods. Chezkiyahu followed the Mitzvot. Chezkiyahu was doing great. Chezkiyahu had his faith and trust in Hahsem- he followed the Miztvot and he worshipped Hashem. He rebelled against Ashur, and he stopped paying taxes to Ashur.
Chezkiyahu's action were great. He was doing everything amazingly. Following everything Hashem wanted. Then he has one problem. In his 14th year of ruling, he tried to make an alliance with Ashur. Hashem had told past kings and he should have learned that the king needs to put his faith and trust in Hashem that He will save them if they run into trouble. He failed to learn from this. Not only did he make the alliance, but in order to give a gift to keep the alliance with Ashur he gave the king treasures. These treasures were not just regular gold he had lying around. These gifts he gave to the king of Ashur were all from the Beit Hamikdash.
Hashem has a great response to Chezkiyahu's good actions. Hashem was with Chezkiyahu and helped his be victorious over enemies. This was prompted by the fact that Chezkiyahu had bettered the worship towards Hashem. For his bad actions Hashem had punished him. He brought Ashur to attack and conquer Yehuda. These bad responses were prompted by the immorality of the people.
In these Perakim we see that the response of Hashem is mainly because of the people. We see that a leader can't change the nation. In the past perakim with the terrible kings we see that it is the leaders fault that the people are sinning. Here we are proved wrong. Chezkiyahu had done so much to try to rekindle the relationship with Hashem. The people had still refused to be moral. Chezkiyahu had made one mistake but the reason of attack was merely the peoples' immoral actions.
As children, we are taught to be a leader of people. That we shouldn't just follow other people, we should stand out and be the one to lead others. A person should be a leader, it is a smarter choice to become a leader than a follower. As a leader you will have followers. From these Perakim I learn that it you cannot just be a leader. Leading people does not always have a positive response. A better life choice would be not just a leader, but an inspiration and a role model. You can lead people but still not teach them morals. It is better to be sure that you are inspiring and teaching people than just leading a group that will get you no where.
Then it goes on and it tells us his actions. He did good in the eyes of Hashem. This is something new from the past kings. Then it goes to say that he did so good-he removed the Bamot, Mitzevot, Ashirot, and copper serpent-all the things that Bnei Yisrael used to worship other gods. Chezkiyahu followed the Mitzvot. Chezkiyahu was doing great. Chezkiyahu had his faith and trust in Hahsem- he followed the Miztvot and he worshipped Hashem. He rebelled against Ashur, and he stopped paying taxes to Ashur.
Chezkiyahu's action were great. He was doing everything amazingly. Following everything Hashem wanted. Then he has one problem. In his 14th year of ruling, he tried to make an alliance with Ashur. Hashem had told past kings and he should have learned that the king needs to put his faith and trust in Hashem that He will save them if they run into trouble. He failed to learn from this. Not only did he make the alliance, but in order to give a gift to keep the alliance with Ashur he gave the king treasures. These treasures were not just regular gold he had lying around. These gifts he gave to the king of Ashur were all from the Beit Hamikdash.
Hashem has a great response to Chezkiyahu's good actions. Hashem was with Chezkiyahu and helped his be victorious over enemies. This was prompted by the fact that Chezkiyahu had bettered the worship towards Hashem. For his bad actions Hashem had punished him. He brought Ashur to attack and conquer Yehuda. These bad responses were prompted by the immorality of the people.
In these Perakim we see that the response of Hashem is mainly because of the people. We see that a leader can't change the nation. In the past perakim with the terrible kings we see that it is the leaders fault that the people are sinning. Here we are proved wrong. Chezkiyahu had done so much to try to rekindle the relationship with Hashem. The people had still refused to be moral. Chezkiyahu had made one mistake but the reason of attack was merely the peoples' immoral actions.
As children, we are taught to be a leader of people. That we shouldn't just follow other people, we should stand out and be the one to lead others. A person should be a leader, it is a smarter choice to become a leader than a follower. As a leader you will have followers. From these Perakim I learn that it you cannot just be a leader. Leading people does not always have a positive response. A better life choice would be not just a leader, but an inspiration and a role model. You can lead people but still not teach them morals. It is better to be sure that you are inspiring and teaching people than just leading a group that will get you no where.
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